Otakuthon (August 7 to 9, 2026)
Otakuthon, Montreal’s largest annual Japanese pop culture convention, was held at the Palais des Congrès from August 7 to 9. The event drew a record attendance of nearly 37,000 visitors. The Consulate General of Japan had a booth and gave a presentation on site to promote the JET Programme and MEXT Scholarships. It also introduced traditional Japanese culture through tea ceremony workshops organized by the Montreal Association of Chado Urasenke Tankokai, a judo demonstration by the Shidokan judo club, and a Japanese language introduction. Through these activities, we were able to showcase Japan’s diverse appeal to the many visitors interested in its popular culture. In addition, the Consul General of Japan Award was presented at the annual Masquerade cosplay competition.
Throughout the event, numerous activities related to Japanese anime, manga, video games, and music were held, attracting large numbers of participants and making the 21st edition a great success.